In most homes, the kitchen is Grand Central Station at least twice a day -- in the morning and evening. People bustling in and out on their way to their next destination, grabbing coffee and food (and spilling quite a bit of it), gathering to talk as they wait for the arrival of their meal from the stove or oven, and so much more. The floors (and counter tops and walls and appliances!) take a brutal beating day in and day out. As the center of your home, the kitchen should make you feel happy by its appearance, comfortable with its materials, and functional for the way you live.
Use these tips to choose the right floor for your Santa Maria kitchen.
Love the Way It Looks
You need to love the way your kitchen floor looks. Your floors should complement your kitchen and match its style. Do you have traditional cabinets and counter tops? Contemporary style? Whatever it is, make sure your floor goes along with the tone of your kitchen. Spend some time perusing home magazines and Pinterest to get a feel for the types of floors that belong in the different styles of kitchens.
Choose the Right Material
Each kitchen floor material has its own pros and cons, so get familiar with what's important to you before you choose your kitchen floors.
Hardwood flooring is timeless and durable. And because you can refinish the floors, you can update their look without replacing anything. But maintenance and protection can be a bit tricky; for example, you have to be careful with spills because moisture can ruin the wood. And hardwood is more expensive than many other options and you're limited in where it can go.
Engineered wood floors can be installed anywhere, are less expensive than hardwood, and are easy to clean. You'll be limited in your refinishing options with engineered wood, however.
Laminate floors are inexpensive, easy to install, and easy to clean. They look like real wood and come in a variety of finishes. You'll need to spend more for a more real-wood look, however, and laminate floors can not be refinished.
Tile flooring is easy to clean, durable, and versatile. Water won't destroy it and it often stays fashionable for many years. However, installation is tricky, and you need to hire someone who really knows what they're doing so you can avoid cracks down the road.
Think About Your Lifestyle
Chances are that no matter how much time you have on your hands, you don't want to spend it cleaning floors. So pick a kitchen floor material that's easy to clean. You don't want to stress over every spill.
How much time do you spend in the kitchen? If you're on your feet cooking for a crowd several times a week, you may want to choose a resilient floor that will be easier on your feet. Tile flooring doesn't offer much resistance and can be tiring for some cooks, while wood gives a little and can be more comfortable for long periods of standing.
Don't Forget Cost
For most of us, cost will be the largest determining factor in what we ultimately choose for kitchen floors. Keep in mind that you'll probably be paying for additional costs like delivery, installation, underlayment, and even removal and disposal of your current floor.
At New Life Bath and Kitchen in Santa Maria, we love helping our customers find the perfect kitchen floor that matches their style, lifestyle, cost, and more. Give us a call at (805) 954-8795, or contact us online for a free quote.